Safe and Sound
by Fanfic Lover 4evr
Summary: Gravely injured and trapped in the woods just beyond Konoha's border with a sacred scroll, Iruka Umino patiently awaits his death by pursuing enemy ninja. It isn't until an ANBU member saves him does this story truly begin.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, I am merely borrowing the characters for my own sadistic pleasure.

Summary: Gravely injured and trapped in the woods just beyond Konoha's border, Iruka patiently awaits his death by pursuing enemy ninja. It isn't until an ANBU member saves him does this story truly begin.

Warnings: Violence and injuries abound, some minor cussing.

Notes: I do not have a beta-reader, the mistakes are my own, I hope they aren't too bothersome. And I love the pairing IrukaXKakashi, and there just aren't enough stories in this category, so I thought I'd lend a hand. Please enjoy, and I'd love to hear what you thought! ^_^

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Chapter One:

Take Me Home

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The sky above was dark, clouds hanging closely to the ground in a continually successful effort to lighten their load upon the vividly green forest. The chilly drops of clear fat raindrops unrelenting in their descent from the gray puffiness that loomed overhead; making light pattering noises, like a symphony of splashes that echoed so clearly in what could have been an otherwise silent forest.

Wind blew through the trees; lifting the lighter branches and making them dance an incredibly entrancing dance. Leaves furled and crinkled, adding to the cacophonous noise that ensconced the wooded area. Mist was beginning to cling closely to the earth creating an eerie appearance of mystique and forewarning.

This kind of weather was always his favorite.

Iruka Umino was lying on his back contemplating the curious weather and the beauty you had to squint at to see through the chaos and harshness it tended to unleash. His honey eyes rolled around in his head, and he vaguely realized the insanity of thinking such things while he was flat on his back, bleeding to death a mere several miles from Konoha's border.

The young academy teacher had been on a classified mission, retrieving a sacred scroll he was not even supposed to know existed. The seemingly harmless piece of parchment, wrapped around a wooden spool apparently held something incredibly powerful, and incredibly dangerous.

It was going to be destroyed once returned to its original creators. The people of Konoha.

Hokage-sama had sworn him to a secrecy of the uttermost importance, and had explained that his ability to disarm people with his compassion and kind aura were what lead to his involvement in obtaining this particular scroll. She had told him in the most polite way she was capable, that he was plain and wouldn't be suspected like most other ninja.

With a deep breath and a concealed hesitance, he'd agreed.

He was traveling solo.

Iruka received some quick training from a couple of high level Jounin, made sure his classes at the academy were covered, and he had been sent on his way to uncover the dangerous scroll. But before he left, the Jounin that trained him were curious as to why a young man with such ability never became a Jounin.

The Chuunin had merely smiled and shrugged. It was fear that kept him from telling them of how when he was a young man, he had been seen as too compassionate and kind to take someone's life without it destroying him. He had done it before, but apparently not with the vigor and harshness that was expected. Iruka had made the mistake of praying for an enemy ninja, and his rank of Chuunin became permanent.

Years ago, he had been bitter for having the weakness stamped on his forehead. But as years passed and the bitterness faded, he witnessed very clearly how that kind of duty could destroy so many good men. How the blood on their hands could never truly be cleaned from their pores, and they knew this themselves every time they glanced at their open palms for too long.

It was not difficult to infiltrate the scroll holder's border without being seen. His kind and genuine smile had disarmed the villagers just like Hokage-sama had assured him it would. Iruka had been discrete, but was still able to help a few of the villager's children with their studies. It made the betrayal and thievery much harder to stomach when they'd freely invited him into their homes and had fed him.

Iruka realized his mistakes much too late. The guilt was probably what slowed him down in the end, and helped put him in his current predicament. He'd hesitated and thought of the faces of the children and their people, he was too slow, and it cost him dearly. He'd broken one of the biggest nin rules of all time; never get attached to your targets. What a fool he was.

The scroll had been heavily guarded, and some lives were lost in his battle to obtain the sacred documents. The young man was fortunate enough to make it beyond the village's borders before the scrolls surviving guardians had caught up to him.

It was a fierce battle, and Iruka had managed to kill a few more guard ninjas but sustained grievous injuries and lost an alarming amount of chakra fighting them off. He'd had no choice but to run, there was no other way he would survive against them.

His priority was the scroll.

For days Iruka was on the run, a sense of relief washing over him when he finally reached Fire Country. But by then his body was betraying him, becoming excessively weak and unforgiving as he forced his legs to move swiftly forward. He would complete this mission as he promised the two names on the memorial stone he would.

Iruka knew that if he stopped for too long, the enemy ninja would catch up to him and would be merciless in taking his life and retrieving their scroll. Betrayal was nothing to be taken lightly; he knew that from living in Konoha for most of his life. It was abhorred and punished most certainly by death.

It was the only absolution the accused could provide.

The journey was painful and littered with little rest and pressure bandages that soaked through with crimson far too quickly. Iruka knew that he was in grave danger and that his life force was draining out of him with his blood and chakra.

Regardless, Iruka Umino trudged onwards, brain on autopilot and wandering to his precious people that included a bouncing orange ball with a blond mop for hair as well as all of the children he schooled and helped raise at their home away from home.

He loved his village, and the many people that occupied it. If he died for this scroll, than it would be a proud way to go. A soldier's death would be honorable and he knew that with the pain that his death would bring to his beloved people, they would also be proud that he died protecting them from the evils that so desperately wanted to see them collapse underneath its strain.

It was on his fourth day of travel that Iruka realized he was bound to fail miserably, and it broke his heart and shamed his soul to realize his efforts were going to be in vain. His legs had crumbled, no longer being able to carry his weight and the rest of his body had followed shortly afterward, committing the biggest mutiny of all.

So here he was, Iruka Umino, beloved academy sensei, lying on his back, now a victim of the harsh elements around him and his severe injuries.

A weak excuse for a ninja, he told himself.

Iruka had managed to drag himself to the trunk of a giant sequoia tree, head nearly touching it as he laid flat. He amusedly realized he'd lost his hair tie somewhere and his once silky brown locks of hair were now blood crusted and plastered against his temples as the rain drenched him. The teacher could only hope that the rain would be strong enough to wash the crimson from his body.

It took several pathetic attempts of him trying to get up and continue his journey to realize that his body would no longer allow it. He knew that if his injuries didn't kill him first, the guard ninjas would surely be catching up. They were after all, only half a day behind him.

He was so screwed.

Iruka drifted for what seemed like hours, blood loss coupled with his chakra depletion and head injury allowed him to be oddly disconnected from his body. He would rouse into full consciousness only when the thunder would boom too loudly. The young man would always grapple at the dark brown leather satchel at his side that contained the precious scroll, assuring himself that it was still beside him. His grip remained white knuckled the entire time.

An unknown amount of time had passed again unnoticed by the drifting Chuunin, rain soaking him to his bones, turning his red clothing a diluted pink. His wounds stung painfully whenever he became aware of them, and he shivered desperately, his body making what seemed a final attempt at keeping him warm even though his blood was dripping out of him and the rains unforgiving coolness had infiltrated his pores.

It was this particular return to consciousness that had Iruka confused. He had no idea what roused him this time around; he blinked dazedly a few times against the rain. Quieting his heaving breaths, and straining his ears beyond the wind, rain, and thunder.

There it was. A very faint and unfamiliar scent followed by a chakra signature he could not place.

The enemy ninja had found him.

Freezing fingers curled around the satchel as tightly as they could, and a paralyzing emotion made his chest seize. His eyes squeezed shut as pain roiled through him at the tiny movement, and he wished distantly for unconsciousness to take him. He didn't want his last memories to be of those ninjas taking the scroll back. But his exhaustion was great, and his body would be more than willing to send him head first into the eternal darkness.

Iruka could feel the presence looming above him now, and he managed to make himself go lax, creating the illusion that he could be dead.

The gloved hand that suddenly pressed against his cheek made his breath catch.

What were they doing?

The academy sensei couldn't quiet his breath any longer, and he decided in that moment to forfeit the charade. Bloodless eyelids crept slowly upwards, revealing pained brown eyes that were being taken over by blown pupils.

Iruka gasped at what he saw, and he couldn't stop the bodily twitch that caused every single one of his nerve endings to awaken and catch fire. He moaned deep and pitiful, jaw clenching against the pain that roiled through his weakened body.

Mere inches above his face loomed a white ANBU mask.

Relief coursed through Iruka's body as he saw the familiar tattoo on a pale shoulder. This person was from Konoha.

The scroll would get where it was intended.

Weakly, Iruka held up his hands in a placating gesture, arms shaking as they were unable to remain still from the chill and blood loss. He was surprised that the gloved hand was still at his cheek, but he ignored it as his shaking hand slipped into the leather satchel and withdrew the scroll.

"Sensei," the voice whispered down to him.

Ah, this ANBU warrior knew who he was. Even better.

Iruka weakly tilted the scroll towards the ANBU, not able to control it as it clanked against the white metal chest plate the ANBU was wearing.

The masked face tilted down and the unoccupied hand wrapped tightly around the scroll.

Iruka sighed in relief, feeling his body become even more boneless; he allowed his eyelids to drift down towards his cheeks. His rest was quickly shattered when a rough hand pressed against the large wound on his abdomen. He couldn't help the ragged scream that tore from his lips. The muscle in his jaw clenched so tightly, he thought it would snap.

The gloved hand slid further back and two fingers pressed against where his jaw connected to his head.

"If you clench your teeth any more tightly, you'll break your teeth," the deep voice informed him.

So the ANBU was a man.

"And I have to stop the bleeding."

Iruka wanted to laugh, but ended up just furling his brow and frowning. He'd been bleeding for four days; it didn't look like the bleeding would stop until all of the blood had been drained from his body. "Can't," he heaved.

The academy sensei knew that guard ninjas would be upon them soon. This ANBU needed to get moving, at least when he was closer to the border he'd have protection and the guard ninjas would have no choice but to abandon any attempt at retrieving the scroll.

"The scroll," Iruka whispered through cracked lips. "The Lord Hokage…"

"Will get the scroll, Sensei."

Iruka clenched his teeth again, but this time in belligerence, didn't this ANBU understand its importance? It needed to be taken within the walls of Konoha to be protected. "Leave me," he begged breathlessly. "Take the scroll to Konoha."

The ANBU ignored Iruka as the man pulled out field dressings and began feeding healing chakra into his badly wounded body.

"Please." Iruka didn't like begging, it was unbecoming, and it annoyed him very much when his students did it to him. But these were desperate times. "Go."

There was a definite huff in the air, followed by an indignant, "No."

Iruka deflated and remained silent as the stranger tended to his wounds, not saying a word, just breathing with the rain splatters, and the thunder that would shake the wet earth every once in a while. After a while, Iruka realized he had become comfortably numb, and his eyelids began creeping downwards once more.

It was the harsh slap to his already bruised cheek that caused his eyes to snap open.

"Don't fall asleep, or I cannot guarantee you'll ever wake again."

Iruka was about to argue when he felt a new presence, then another, and another. "They've found me," Iruka said with grave horror. And with every ounce of energy he had left in his body, he pushed the ANBU backwards. "Leave," he hissed. "The enemy ninja have caught up."

The ANBU mask tilted to the side as if in contemplation and a finger was suddenly in front of his face. "If you fall asleep and die, I'll drag you back just to kill you again." The warrior stood up and stealthily disappeared; leaving Iruka wondering what the hell was going to happen.

Iruka listened intently and heard the vague sounds of battle, and Iruka prayed silently for the ANBU who for some reason ignored the important scroll and was vigilantly trying to tend to his many wounds.

"You piece of traitor scum!"

Iruka could only lift his heavy eyelids half mast, regarding the angry guard ninja that was wrapping his fingers around Iruka's blood soaked collar and pulling him upwards. He was slammed against the sequoia and was allowed to drop limply to the ground, face first in the wet mud.

A chuckle broke free from Iruka's lips as he rested in the gooey mess. "Traitor, neh? I am no traitor; I was never part of your village. You stole from my people."

"We trusted you, we thought you were one of us," the voice dropped dangerously low and regarded him with a hatred that made Iruka pity him.

"I'm sorry," Iruka admitted dejectedly. "But fair is fair. You stole first, and that scroll belongs to Konoha, it is too dangerous and rightfully ours to protect."

"Why would you tell me this?" the ninja demanded. Certainly any ninja knows never to give that kind of intelligence to an enemy, let alone apologize and confide in one.

"Because you can't be allowed to live," Iruka whispered, closing his eyes as he heard the sound of a kunai swirl through the air before meeting its mark with a sick thud and a shallow gurgle.

Feet approached, sloshing noisily in the mud. Iruka knew that the ANBU wanted him to hear him approaching. "They have been eliminated. The threat is gone."

Iruka sighed and nodded, not having the energy to turn himself onto his back. "The scroll?"

There was a soft chuckle as the ANBU came closer, kneeling down beside the injured Chuunin and rolling him onto his back, tucking a strand of Iruka's clumped hair behind his ear. "Safe and sound."

The scroll was in front of Iruka's eyes now, and he watched as the ANBU tucked the scroll back into his leather satchel. The ANBU then quickly tended to his wounds rather quickly, apparently coming to the conclusion that Iruka was not going to last much longer without medical attention.

Iruka held back the gasp of pain when he was lifted from the ground and into the ANBU's arms. "You're bleeding," Iruka supplied helpfully as he saw a red rivulet drip hastily down a pale shoulder.

There was a snort. "Have you seen yourself Sensei? You look like death warmed over."

"Hmm," Iruka replied, settling against the man.

"Stay awake, Iruka-Sensei."

The academy sensei tried, he really did, but exhaustion rolled through his weakened body and his eyelids closed without his permission. He realized with an alarming certainty that he could no longer feel any part of his body, and he wasn't shaking any longer. It was only vaguely that Iruka could feel the wind whip by him faster; the ANBU was moving very quickly.

"Stay with me, Iruka-Sensei."

Iruka could hear the deep timbered voice yelling at him to stay awake and hold on, but he was tired, and he longed for the sleep that his wounded body so desperately craved.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled as the swirling darkness swallowed him whole and covered him in its inky blackness.

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TBC... Reviews are greatly appreciated. Let me know what you thought. ^_^


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, I am merely borrowing the characters for my own sadistic pleasure.

Summary: Gravely injured and trapped in the woods just beyond Konoha's border, Iruka patiently awaits his death by pursuing enemy ninja. It isn't until an ANBU member saves him does this story truly begin.

Warnings: Violence and injuries abound, some minor cussing.

Notes: No beta-reader, so the mistakes are my own. Sorry about those, and I hope they don't impede your reading experience to badly. :)

To the Reviewers: You all are so very sweet, and I appreciate the kind words very much. I am incredibly happy that my story has generated some curiosity and I am glad that you have enjoyed the first chapter. ^_^ Thanks for the support, it means a lot!

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Chapter Two:

Timeless Wandering

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The sensation was like floating on your back in a body of water, body weightless but being weighted down at the same time. Floating in the small rifts of time, hanging in suspension, and not being able to form a full lucid thought before your brain returned to its numbed state where only minute, odd things would drift in every once in a while.

That odd feeling of weightlessness seemed to last for years, but he distantly knew somewhere in the back of his mind, that it was not true. In this current place of dwelling, time seemed to have no clock, it merely was. He was trapped in a complete state of existing.

Every once in a while his ears would catch whisperings somewhere off in the distance. He would try to grab a hold of them and listen closely to determine what was being said, and if they were there to harm him. It wasn't long before he dismissed that notion; the voices spoke softly, fondly, and often, even if he could not make sense of what was being said to him.

Could they possibly be trapped there with him too?

The thought clenched his heart, and he began trying to communicate back to them. He was horrified and incredibly frustrated to find that his mouth would not open, and not a sound would break free from his throat. But that never stopped him. When his game of listening and trying to get their attention tired him, making him recede back into the darkness, he would begin again once a miniscule bit of strength returned.

This state of existing floated all around him, and he wished often for a clock to see how much of his sanity was ticking away with the darkness. He could imagine the round device, and hear the sound of its spinning hands, doing their job to illustrate the past, present, and future moments.

Somewhere in that dark and lonely place, he realized time had to be passing. How else could his body feel a little less weightless, body heavier than he had ever remembered it being in this place with no name and no face. Hope fluttered through him when he realized the voices were louder as well. They were speaking to him softly still, but he could hear them much more clearly, and he knew them to be familiar even if he didn't know who they were.

Shortly after that discovery, he also realized that he could feel bits of his body every now again. It was particularly in his hand. It was where he could feel a light pressure the most often, and for some odd reason it comforted him. At other times he could feel a light presence pressed against his forehead, and he would try to lean into it, never knowing if he succeeded in this place of shadows.

More weightlessness passed when his thoughts were becoming much less jumbled and clearer in his head. They kept him company as well as the flashes of people he couldn't remember. The images played like movies in his head, showing him children, older men and women, a nice man and woman standing behind a smiling young man, and a curious blond boy in a sea of orange. It was fascinating, and he hoped he would be able to see them someday in the light of the sun, rather than in this place of solitude.

_Please_, he thought sadly as his thoughts echoed in this odd place he had become trapped within. _Let me return to this place beneath the sun that I see so often in my thoughts._

This place was grating on his nerves his heart told him to fight like hell. He did, and the dark place he resided in began melting away like candle wax to a hot flame.

It was during his continuing struggle that he felt his body burst into flames. It was a pain so fierce and sharp that for a moment he doubted himself and allowed the darkness to swath him again His thoughts drifted to those faces, and their familiarity spurred him to struggle harder, against the worsening pain. Somewhere he knew those people and for whatever reason, his heart and soul wanted to see them again.

The darkness began to recede.

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Everything swirled around him, noises cacophonous and slurred in his ears. He didn't understand what was going on. All he could feel was the pain and confusion that was currently eating away at him. "Gah," a weak voice slurred. Honeyed eyelids cracked slightly open to reveal tiny bits of brown irises still being drowned out by blown pupils.

The image he was seeing spun around him in a disoriented flurry, and he was forced to slam his eyes shut against the bright lights around him that threatened to blind him. Nausea floated around him and he breathed as deeply as he could through his nose, ignoring the way his lungs wouldn't fill up as much as he was used to. A moan broke weakly from his closed, cracked lips and he began turning his head back and forth across the damp pillow supporting his head.

Iruka Umino didn't remember the last time he had ever been in so much pain. This level of hurting seemed to be a completely new playing field in injuries. He moaned pathetically against its barrage of fire.

"Iruka!"

The young injured Chuunin heard the voice, hating the way it made his migraine screech angrily into the front of his skull, but he managed to it since he was much too busy trying to get the nausea and pain down to a level that didn't make him want to die.

Lights were immediately dimmed, and Iruka could feel two new presences in the room with him.

"Iruka." The feminine voice was suddenly above him and soft hands where on either side of his face, holding his head still so he could not keep tilting his head side to side against the pain. "Iruka, open your eyes. Come on now, very slowly."

Iruka gulped, realizing how dry his mouth was, and slowly he allowed his normally brown pools of warmth, but now filled with pain, to grace the woman looming over him.

"Ah, there you are."

Iruka frowned slightly as he felt a comforting numbness spread through his body, taking his pain down to a more acceptable level. He stared up at the woman for a moment, foggy brain trying to piece a name to the grinning face. She looked relieved.

"Hokage-sama," he croaked in a whisper that was nearly non-existent from lack of use.

Tsunade's grin widened even more. "You certainly know how to make an entrance."

The academy sensei's brow furled slightly in confusion. "Hum?"

The woman slowly let go of his face and stepped back, allowing Iruka's eyes to adjust to the dim hospital room he currently occupied. "You have been unconscious for a while Iruka."

Iruka wanted to ask how long, but the frazzled look and bruises beneath the woman's eyes had him deciding against it. He would let her tell him how long he'd been floating about his mind. But the pressing question about why he was there surfaced and would not be allowed to be squelched. The vacant spot in his mind made his heart race uncomfortably.

He wasn't disappointed for long as images of rainy forests, and angry ninja came racing to the forefront of his mind. He had been on a mission for a scroll, he was injured, and an ANBU member had happened across him.

The scroll!

"The scroll?" he whispered dryly before a cool cup of water was pressed to his lips by a young woman that had suddenly materialized next to his bed. He sipped a little, relishing in how the liquid soothed his dry throat before the cup was pulled away.

"Too much and you will get sick," she supplied cheerily.

His attention snapped back over to the woman in charge of his beloved village.

"It was returned to us safely, and destroyed. No one will ever get the chance to hurt innocent people with it ever again. Mission success," she told him with a Cheshire grin.

Iruka let out a relieved sigh. "What about the ANBU that rescued me? He was injured…"

Tsunade nodded at him, coming to sit on the edge of the hospital bed. "He is perfectly fine, Iruka. But I cannot divulge anything other than that, and you know that."

Iruka nodded, feeling quite limp with relief on both counts, he only wished he could remember those details a little better. His fever had been high, coupled with his injuries and blood loss, it was a wonder he even remembered his own name. "Will you thank him for me?"

The blond woman grinned and nodded. "I can do that. But for now, you need to rest. It's not every day that one of the village's favorite teachers almost dies and is stuck in a coma for two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Iruka was suddenly glad his mouth wasn't filled with water, he was quite sure it would have come shooting right back out. He'd been out of commission for nearly two weeks; it was a wonder why he wasn't brain dead. He wasn't used to this kind of injury.

"You were very lucky. You almost died more than once on my operating table. When you were dragged into the hospital covered in blood and dirt, what a spectacle! Nearly gave half of my nurses a heart attack at the sight!" Tsunade sounded genuinely delighted about it too.

"Everyone has been worried sick over you," she told him, motioning to the clustered room.

Iruka looked around, now noticing the bright cards, balloons, and flowers that decorated what would have been an otherwise sad room. "Oh my," he whispered, feeling his heart leap up into his throat at the thoughtfulness of his village.

"You were missed. You would not believe how many Jounin and Chuunin brats I had to turn away. It was a circus, and it is a damn good thing I had a bottle of sake sitting in my office to help me unwind after throwing them out," she explained with an enthusiastic tone. "Not to mention all of those pre-Genin and Genin kids. I thought I was going to have to murder a few of them. How do you manage those crazy little harpies? They…"

The woman stopped herself, grinning sheepishly at him, realizing that his eyelids were starting to drift closer to his cheeks. "A story for another time, neh?"

Iruka nodded, and gave her a soft smile.

"Sleep, you'll feel much better once you start your healing sleep."

Iruka didn't reply; just let himself sink into the darkness that didn't seem to be so oppressive this time around.

* * *

The next time Iruka came around, he was relieved to find that his previously felt pain was down to a more manageable level and allowed his mind to be blissfully clear. The young Chuunin had roused in the early morning, surprised that he could hear rain drops patter against his hospital room window.

This year Konoha's storm season seemed to be a bit harsher than he remembered in previous years.

After admiring the sounds at the window, Iruka began expecting himself, unsurprised at the many tubes he couldn't recognize that snake under the ugly blue blanket that covered him. He also realized he was wearing the uniform hospital gown, and he couldn't stop the blush that rose to his cheeks and accentuating the scar across his nose when he realized the nurses had seen him in the buff.

Bags of what appeared to be liquids and medicine hung from metal poles, and he could vaguely smell salve on himself, knowing that the substance would have likely been rubbed over his bruises and cuts to assist the broken blood vessels and skin as they worked to repair themselves.

Brown eyes then began wandering the small room, a small smile coming to the injured man's face as his eyes graced over the get well cards, balloons, and flowers that were scattered about. It was seeing all of these things that he was reminded why he accepted that mission. It was, and always would be his duty to protect each and every one of the special people that made up his village.

"Sensei!"

Iruka tried not to flinch at the loud voice. He succeeded mostly; only trained eyes would have been able to see the slightest tremble in his body when he had been knocked from his silent musing

The familiar face was welcome. "Sakura," Iruka said smiling, ignoring the way his face pulled where a dark bruise occupied his usually honey skin.

The young pink-haired girl grinned at him as she walked over and leaned in, mindful of his injuries, and giving him a hug. "I was worried," she told him as she pulled away. Iruka glanced at her expression and immediately decided he didn't like the crease in between her eyebrows, indicating a young woman who was aging beyond her years.

"I am fine Sakura," he told her with a half-smile. "A little worse for wear, but nothing I won't eventually heal from."

The woman frowned and tilted her head slightly to the side, regarding him almost sadly. "Hokage-sama wouldn't let us see you for the longest time. She told us when you were first brought here that she wasn't sure she could save you. She wouldn't tell us what happened. It's apparently classified information."

Iruka noticed the stray tear that was making its way down her cheek. "Now, now," he whispered as he wiped away the tear with the pad of his thumb. "You know it's the life of a ninja. I wouldn't be doing my duty to this village if I didn't lend a hand when asked."

"She asked us not to write Naruto about this," Sakura muttered angrily.

Iruka's eyes dropped to the blanket covering his legs. As much as he would have loved for the blond ball of energy to come careening back into Konoha to see if he was alright, he knew that it was important the young man continue being taught by Jiraiya, even if the man was a complete pervert.

He would have to thank Tsunade later for her discretion.

"Sakura," he said her name softly as he squeezed her hand softly, drawing her attention once again to his bruised face. "It is important to him that he brings Sasuke home. As much as I miss him, he doesn't need this to distract him."

She sighed and nodded, but continued frowning. "You almost died. What if you had? Should I have just waited for him to return before breaking the news that you had died? That the very first person to acknowledge him and make him feel like he had a right to live was killed and we didn't write him because we didn't want to _distract _him?"

Iruka winced; Sakura's grip had become painfully tight on his hand. "Sakura," he whispered through clenched teeth.

The young woman's eyes widened comically and she pulled her hand back quickly. "I'm sorry!"

The academy sensei smiled and shook his head, fisting his hand and releasing a few times to get the circulation back into his fingers. "You are upset. It's quite alright." Iruka looked back up at her and had to fight the smile that was threatening to make his lips turn up slightly at the corners. He wondered what Naruto's reaction to her talking so fondly and respectfully of him would be. He was far too used to her threatening to murder him; this was a nice turn about.

"I'm still here so there's no need to worry about could-haves, alright? I am healing and will be back to my old self in no time," he assured her. "And Naruto will be back soon too, annoying you to the point of homicidal insanity. Don't give up on Sasuke either, not yet."

"I won't," she sighed. "But they sure are taking their sweet time."

Iruka laughed at the way she hissed out the last part, immediately regretting it as pain shot up his chest, making him cough raggedly. He hacked, eyes drifting shut as they welled up with tears of pain.

Something was quickly pressed against his lips, and he allowed cool liquid to pour into his dry mouth, immediately softening the dry tissues and clearing his throat. "Thank you Sakura," he whispered raggedly, breathing carefully as to not agitate his injuries any more than he already had with his coughing attack.

"Anytime Sensei," a sultry voice whispered into his ear.

Iruka jerked at the unexpected voice, gasping wetly as his chest exploded in pain again. "Gah," fell through his parted lips. His head clouded at the sudden movement and dizziness shook his thoughts before he felt himself begin to tilt sideways, eyes still clenched tightly shut.

"Whoa there, Sensei," the voice spoke above him somewhere.

A hand wrapped around his forearm and stopped his descent towards the hard floor. He was tilted upright, and then pushed gently backward until his back met a soft pillow.

Iruka sat there for a few long moments, pushing the pain down and breathing deeply as his wounded chest would allow. After regaining his senses he slowly opened his eyelids, surprised at the lone eye that stared back at him. "Oh! Hatake-sensei," he spluttered, surprised.

The eye crinkled upwards in satisfaction and what appeared to be his own version of a smile.

The academy sensei observed the elite shinobi. Iruka noticed he was dressed in his familiar uniform, hitai-ate sitting askew on his forehead, doing its job to cover the famous sharingan as well as most of his face being covered by the mask he was known for wearing.

"Yo," the famous Copy Ninja replied, smile quite obvious beneath the black cloth covering his lower face.

Iruka dipped his head in a polite bow, still unsure as to why the man was there. "Ohayo," he greeted. "Kakashi-sensei, what are you doing here?" For some reason, he wasn't able to articulate the question any more than how he had spoken it. His shock had successfully overrode the polite part of his brain.

The young man watched as the famous ninja's visible eyebrow arched upwards.

"Naruto made me promise to look after you while he was gone," Kakashi informed him, looking quite disinterested all of the sudden. "It appears I haven't been doing a very good job."

Iruka felt the flair of annoyance creep into the forefront of his mind. He wasn't a child and he was certainly capable of taking care of himself, even if he got into a few scrapes every now and again. He wanted to tell the sharingan holder that he couldn't avoid being injured if he was in charge of teaching clumsy pre-genin how to use expertly sharpened shuriken.

"Besides," Kakashi continued, ignoring how Iruka's face was getting redder by the second. "What kind of example would I be giving if I didn't bring you a 'get-well' gift?"

Iruka suddenly spluttered, cheeks returning to their normal coloring at the Jounin's words. "Example? You are always late, by hours even and you read porn in public. Who are you trying to set an example...?"

The upset teacher was interrupted as a furoshiki was dropped into his lap. Iruka gave Kakashi a confused look before glancing down at the beautiful green cloth that sat on his lap. He could only wonder what was inside.

"Wha…?"

"You have to open it to answer that question, Sensei," Kakashi supplied helpfully.

Iruka furrowed his eyebrows and set about unknotting the top, genuinely curious about what was inside. "Kakashi-sensei…" he started, figuring he should thank him for the unnecessary gift.

"Kakashi," Kakashi corrected, eye once again staring at the teacher.

Kakashi knew it was coming, could feel the angry chakra energy fill the small room as the academy teacher realized what he had just been gifted. The famous Copy Nin could sense his former pupil lingering in the corner, having retreated there after he'd arrived a few moments ago.

Smart girl.

The previous red tinge that had left Iruka's face was back again with a ferocity, and Kakashi could hear Sakura gasp as the young woman caught sight of what the academy sensei was holding. Before the sharingan holder could even blink a sharp _'thwap!'_ sounded throughout the small room as a small orange book smacked against his forehead.

Kakashi caught the book and grinned beneath his mask at the bedridden teacher. He wondered if he should push up his hitai-ate so he could remember the furious and horrified look on the Iruka's beet red face. The teacher was adorable with the expression freezing his handsome face.

"Hokage-sama said you would be stuck in here for a while longer, I thought you'd like something to read to pass the time…"

"Get out!" Iruka screeched, apparently having found his voice, even though it was weak and broke slightly. "Now!"

"Mah, Iruka-sensei it was just a gift…"

"Out!"

Kakashi tucked the copy of Icha Icha Paradise inside his flak jacket and patted it comfortingly. "I'll be back to check on you later Sensei, get some sleep."

After making the necessary hand signals, the man 'poofed' from the room, leaving a shocked Sakura and a mortified Chuunin behind.

"He's insane," Iruka muttered, bringing his face down into his hands.

Over in the corner Sakura shrugged. "You get used to it." She pushed off of the wall and headed towards the door. "I'm going to go fetch Tsunade-sama; she'll want to know you're awake again."

* * *

AN: Ohayo: basically means 'good morning'.

AN: A furoshiki: is a piece of ornate cloth that is often used to wrap gifts, presents, and packages. . In this case, to wrap Icha Icha Paradise. Tee-hee.

TBC... Reviews are greatly appreciated and treasured. Let me know what you thought.


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